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The American Sprint Car Series has reached the crossroads of 2026 to honor a royal legacy in Kansas Sprint Car racing.
The 16th running of the Steve King Memorial clashes the ASCS National Tour with the ASCS Gunsmoke and Sooner regions for a Saturday night battle at Dodge City Raceway Park. The event also brings the season's championship battle to the halfway point with three drivers within 54 points of each other.
Saturday's Feature will reward a $4,000-to-win prize after 30 laps around the 3/8-mile oval. Tickets will be available at the track on race day. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. (CT), and Hot Laps are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Here's a look at the top storylines:
King's Honor – The 2026 edition of the Steve King Memorial will mark a pivotal point in the three ASCS campaigns and continue as a lasting tribute to the driver the event honors.
King, a native of Jetmore, KS, competed in Sprint Cars for 18 years, winning two National Championship Racing Association (NCRA) championships in 2002 and 2003. After his sudden passing in 2006, his family created the Steve King Foundation to provide assistance and resources for drivers, teams, track crews, and immediate family in dirt track racing who are in need.
The first race was held in 2007 at Dodge City, with Don Droud Jr. taking the night's victory. The "Sunflower State" race has become a staple as the 16th edition of the Steve King Memorial will pack a Saturday of racing and remembrance.
Summer Spice – In the heart of the summertime battle of the 2026 ASCS National Tour, the top three drivers are intertwined in a thinning points race with rising tensions.
Sitting in the front two spots, separated by five points, are Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Matt Covington, while Seth Bergman is 54 points back in third. At Batesville Motor Speedway, their fight for the night's win came to a head when Hafertepe and Covington collided off the exit of Turn 4, taking Hafertepe out of contention while Covington drove to the win.
Bergman sat third in the running order at Batesville when the contact happened, but then suffered a flat right rear tire after running over debris. The 2024 Series champion was not denied a chance to win the following night at Texarkana 67 Speedway, capturing his first Ralph Henson Memorial victory while Hafertepe and Covington shared the podium.
With the Arkansas weekend behind them, the trio is focused on the present with the Steve King Memorial ahead. Hafertepe has proven to be the dominant force of Dodge City with three consecutive Series wins dating back to 2024. Covington won the 2023 edition and is running a streak of six podiums in seven races. The worst finish of his seven-race streak is a fifth-place at 81 Speedway. Bergman, who has three straight top-10 finishes at Dodge City, including a runner-up in 2024, is chasing his 30th National Tour win this weekend.
Smoking History – The first television western, "Gunsmoke," stars a U.S. Marshal preventing lawlessness in Dodge City during the 1800s. Over 200 years later, the lawlessness of speed will take over with the ASCS Gunsmoke Region joining the National Tour and Sooner Region.
The gap from first to third in the standings is a total of 37 points, with Jeremy Campbell leading the way by two markers over Bryant Wiedeman, and Jordan Knight placed in third. Campbell, the 2021 Sooner Region champion, is seeking a first win with ASCS in 2026, but has momentum entering Saturday with a win from 81 on July 18.
Gunsmoke has seen three nights of racing through the year, though it is the first time on track since joining the National Tour and Sooner Region at 81 in June. With four races remaining on the schedule, the Steve King Memorial will be a prime opportunity to shape the year's title fight.
Sooner Style – The ASCS Sooner Region will make the second and final trip to Kansas in 2026, with the three tours in Dodge City serving as the halfway flag.
Through four races, Bradley Fezard is at the helm of the standings by 37 points over Steven Shebester. The Bonnerdale, AR racer is chasing his first victory with the region in 2026 while owning two top fives from Creek County Speedway.
Saturday's trek to Dodge City will be the first time the Sooner Region has visited the area since the 2014 edition of the Steve King Memorial. The night saw C.J. Johnson – father of National Tour full-timer Kyler Johnson – drive to his only win with the Sooner Region.
ASCS PR
